ISO 15614-1 · AWS D1.1:2025 Clause 6.20 · Terminology

WPQR in Welding — Two Different Documents Under One Acronym

WPQR means two different things depending on the standard. Under ISO 15614-1 Clause 9, WPQR is the Welding Procedure Qualification Record — equivalent to a PQR. Under AWS D1.1:2025 Clause 6.20, WPQR is the Welding Performance Qualification Record — a welder qualification document, not a procedure one.

Per AWS D1.1:2025 Clause 6.20: “The Welding Performance Qualification Record (WPQR) shall serve as the Contractor’s certification of qualification and shall list all of the applicable essential variables of Table 6.13.”

Quick answer: If your project references AWS D1.1, "WPQR" means the welder's performance record (Clause 6.20) — your procedure record is called a PQR. If your project references ISO 15614-1 or EN 1090-2, "WPQR" means the procedure record itself, and it is the ISO/EN equivalent of an AWS PQR.

Why WPQR Means Two Different Things

WPQR is one of the more confusing acronyms in structural welding documentation — not because it is complicated, but because two major standards families assign it to completely different documents. The confusion shows up most often on international projects that reference both AWS and ISO/EN standards side by side, such as oil and gas EPC work or multinational fabrication contracts.

The root cause is that AWS and ISO organize their qualification paperwork differently. AWS D1.1 has two separate documents: a PQR for the procedure and a WPQR for the welder. ISO 15614-1 and EN 1090-2 have one document for the procedure side and call it the WPQR — there is no separate "PQR" term in ISO/EN usage for procedure qualification.

Standard	WPQR means	Governing clause	Equivalent AWS term
ISO 15614-1 / EN 1090-2	Welding Procedure Qualification Record	`ISO 15614-1 Clause 9`	PQR (Procedure Qualification Record)
AWS D1.1:2025	Welding Performance Qualification Record	`Clause 6.20`	WQTR (Welder Qualification Test Record)

Read the D1.1 PQR Guide →

WPQR Under ISO 15614-1 (Procedure Side)

Under ISO 15614-1 Clause 9, the WPQR is a statement of the results of assessing each welding procedure test piece, including any re-tests, covering the same items required for the WPS under ISO 15609. If no rejectable features or unacceptable test results are found per Clause 7, the WPQR is qualified and must be signed and dated by the examiner or examining body.

ISO 15614-1 recognizes two qualification levels. For Level 1, the WPQR format records the procedure details, level, and test results, mainly to standardize presentation. For Level 2, the WPQR additionally records the range of qualification — the boundaries within which the qualified procedure can be used in production. An example WPQR format is provided in Annex B of ISO 15614-1.

EN 1090-2 Clause 12.4.2.2 uses the same procedure-side meaning: a WPS for production is prepared based on the relevant WPQR, and the first five production joints welded to a new or newly introduced WPQR are subject to additional NDT scrutiny under the standard's type-testing requirements.

Re-Qualification Triggers Under ISO 15614-1

Essential-variable changes invalidate an existing WPQR the same way Table 6.6 works under D1.1 — a change beyond the qualified range requires a new qualification test, not just a WPS revision.

Preheat temperature decrease: Per Clause 8.4.8, a decrease of more than 50°C from the preheat temperature recorded on the WPQR requires re-qualification. A smaller decrease is only permitted if the underlying preheating requirements — particularly combined thickness effects per ISO/TR 17671-2 — are still satisfied.
Power source or waveform control change (Level 2): When a power source with waveform control is used, the manufacturer and control mode must be recorded on the WPQR. Changing to a different manufacturer or a different waveform control mode requires a new qualification test.
Backing gas classification change: For material groups 7.1 and 41 through 48, deleting backing gas or changing its nominal composition from inert to a non-inert mixture requires re-qualification. For most other material groups, adding or deleting backing gas does not require re-qualification — the rule is material-group specific, not universal.

WPQR Under AWS D1.1 (Performance Side)

Under AWS D1.1:2025, WPQR is defined in Clause 6.20 as the Welding Performance Qualification Record — a document that has nothing to do with procedure qualification. It serves as the Contractor's certification that a welder, welding operator, or tack welder is qualified, and it lists the applicable essential variables from Table 6.13. Suggested WPQR forms are provided in Annex J.

This means that on a D1.1 project, asking for "the WPQR" gets you a welder's qualification paperwork — not the document that proves the welding procedure itself was tested and works. That document is the PQR, governed by Clause 6.2.1 and Table 6.6. Confusing the two on a D1.1 project can mean submitting the wrong paperwork to an inspector or owner's engineer — the PQR proves the procedure is sound; the WPQR proves the person executing it is qualified to run that procedure.

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Table 6.13 lists essential variables specific to personnel performance qualification — process qualified, position qualified, diameter/thickness range, and F-number or filler classification — distinct from Table 6.6's procedure-side essential variables (base metal group, preheat, joint geometry). A change to a Table 6.13 variable requires the welder to requalify; it does not affect the procedure's own PQR status, and vice versa.

How to Tell Which WPQR Someone Means

On a mixed-standard project, the fastest way to resolve the ambiguity is to ask which document the requester actually needs: a record proving a procedure works, or a record proving a specific welder is qualified to execute it. The practical resolution path:

Check which base standard the contract cites: If the project references AWS D1.1 as the governing code, "WPQR" defaults to the D1.1 Clause 6.20 meaning (welder performance) unless the requester explicitly says "procedure." If the project references ISO 15614-1, EN 1090-2, or a CE-marking pathway, "WPQR" defaults to the procedure-side meaning.
Ask whether the document should reference a base metal group or a welder's name: A procedure-side WPQR (ISO/EN) references base metal group, filler metal, and joint geometry — the same fields as an AWS PQR. A performance-side WPQR (AWS D1.1) references a specific individual's name, ID, and the process/position/diameter range that person is qualified for.
Confirm before submitting to an inspector or owner's engineer: Submitting a welder performance record when a procedure qualification record was requested (or vice versa) is a common paperwork error on international jobs bridging AWS and ISO/EN requirements. When in doubt, submit both documents with a cover note clarifying which is which.

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Key Takeaways

WPQR is not one document. ISO 15614-1 and EN 1090-2 use it for procedure qualification. AWS D1.1 uses it for welder performance qualification.
Under D1.1, the procedure record is called a PQR, not a WPQR. The D1.1 WPQR (Clause 6.20) is the welder's record, backed by Table 6.13 essential variables.
Under ISO/EN, WPQR is the AWS-PQR equivalent. Governed by ISO 15614-1 Clause 9, with re-qualification triggers in Clause 8 (preheat, backing gas, power source).
On mixed-standard projects, always confirm which meaning applies before preparing or submitting either document.

"WPQR is the one acronym on international jobs that trips up experienced QA/QC staff, not just newcomers — because both meanings are correct, just under different standards."
CWI field observation, multi-standard EPC fabrication, 2026

The fastest disambiguation trick: ask "does this record have a person's name on it, or a base metal group?" A welder's name means performance qualification (D1.1's WPQR). A base metal group and joint geometry means procedure qualification (ISO's WPQR, or D1.1's PQR).
— CWI field observation, international fabrication QA, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What is WPQR in welding?

WPQR means two different things depending on which standard you're reading. Under ISO 15614-1 Clause 9, WPQR is the Welding Procedure Qualification Record — a document that proves a welding procedure produces sound welds, equivalent to a PQR under AWS D1.1. Under AWS D1.1 Clause 6.20, WPQR is the Welding Performance Qualification Record — a document that proves a specific welder can produce sound welds, equivalent to a Welder Qualification Test Record (WQTR). Same acronym, different scope: one qualifies a procedure, the other qualifies a person.

Is WPQR the same as PQR?

Only under ISO-family standards. Under ISO 15614-1 and EN 1090-2, WPQR and PQR describe the same concept — a procedure qualification record — with WPQR being the ISO/EN term and PQR being the term more common in AWS and ASME usage. Under AWS D1.1 specifically, WPQR is not the procedure record at all — it is the Welding Performance Qualification Record per Clause 6.20, which documents welder or welding operator qualification. If your project references AWS D1.1 and someone asks for a WPQR, confirm whether they mean the welder qualification form (D1.1's actual usage) or are using ISO terminology loosely to mean PQR.

Does AWS D1.1 use the term WPQR?

Yes, but not for procedure qualification. AWS D1.1:2025 Clause 6.20 defines WPQR as the Welding Performance Qualification Record — the Contractor's certification that a welder or welding operator is qualified, listing the essential variables from Table 6.13. Suggested forms are in Annex J. This is a welder-qualification document, not a procedure-qualification document. D1.1's procedure-qualification document is called a PQR (Procedure Qualification Record), governed by Clause 6.2.1 and Table 6.6 — a completely separate form from the WPQR.

Which standards use WPQR for procedure qualification vs welder qualification?

ISO 15614-1, ISO 15614 series generally, and EN 1090-2 use WPQR to mean Welding Procedure Qualification Record — the procedure-side document, equivalent to AWS's PQR. AWS D1.1 uses WPQR to mean Welding Performance Qualification Record — the welder-side document. AWS D1.1's procedure-side document is simply called a PQR, not a WPQR. If your project cites multiple standards (common on international EPC or oil and gas work bridging API, ASME, and ISO/EN requirements), always confirm the issuing standard before assuming which WPQR someone means.

What does a WPQR contain under ISO 15614-1?

Under ISO 15614-1 Clause 9, the WPQR is a statement of the results of assessing each welding procedure test piece, including any re-tests, following the items listed for the WPS in ISO 15609. If no rejectable features or unacceptable test results are found per Clause 7, the WPQR is qualified and must be signed and dated by the examiner or examining body. For Level 1 qualification, the WPQR records details and level of the procedure and test results. For Level 2, it additionally records the qualification range. An example WPQR format is provided in Annex B of ISO 15614-1.

What triggers re-qualification of a WPQR under ISO 15614-1?

Per ISO 15614-1 Clause 8.4.8, a decrease of more than 50 degrees Celsius from the preheat temperature recorded on the WPQR requires re-qualification. A decrease is only permitted if the requirements concerning preheating — especially combined thickness effects — are still satisfied, referencing ISO/TR 17671-2. Other essential-variable changes trigger re-qualification per the variable tables in Clause 8, following the same logic as AWS D1.1 Table 6.6: process change, filler metal change, material group change, and position change beyond the qualified range each require a new qualification test.

Reference data from ISO 15614-1:2017, AWS D1.1/D1.1M:2025, and EN 1090-2. Not affiliated with ISO, AWS, or CEN. For educational purposes. Always verify against the code edition specified in your contract documents.